In 1879 Bismarck concluded the Dual Alliance, a mutual defense pact with Austria-Hungary. He expanded this agreement in 1882 to include Italy, forming the Triple Alliance.Bismarck realized that an alliance between France and Russia would be a fundamental threat to German security because in the event of war with either power Germany would be forced to fight on two fronts. Bismarck arranged the Emperors' Alliance (1881) and the Reinsurance Treaty (1887) with Russia, agreements that guaranteed Russian neutrality in the event of a Franco-German conflict.

To offset the threat of the Triple Alliance, France and Russia formed their own Dual Alliance in 1894. France also improved relations with Great Britain by entering into an informal understanding with the British known as the Entente Cordiale (1904). This was expanded into the Triple Entente in 1907 with the inclusion of Russia.

It didn't specify what methods we would use to protect them from aggression. I think that Ukraine would have to commit it's own armed forces before they would plausible demand that anyone send them military help.

Besides, the Crimea seceding from Ukraine is probably not what most people would regard as "outer aggression", even if Ukraine sends in troops to hold on to it.

/I have very little sympathy for the aggressor, and promising to defend them means we need to act on that promise.//Hopefully there's a way to solve this behind the scenes before war starts, but now we actually need to intervene, and this phrase will never again be uttered by myself in this context.

What would be the downside be if the nation simply split? The southeastern Ukranians pretty much consider themselves Russian anyway. Is there a national resources reason, a la Iraq, that they couldn't just splinter off? Apart from all the tradgedy of divided families and the death of the velvet revolution and all that.

/I have very little sympathy for the aggressor, and promising to defend them means we need to act on that promise.//Hopefully there's a way to solve this behind the scenes before war starts, but now we actually need to intervene, and this phrase will never again be uttered by myself in this context.

It'd be really cool if, in the event of civil war, the UN could come in and stabilize the situation. Then, a Swiss elections team could come in, administer a democratic election for a temporary government, and then everyone packs up and goes home. No disputing the results (democracy, and all that). No accusations of bias (Switzerland is a paragon of neutrality). And very little bloodshed.

/I have very little sympathy for the aggressor, and promising to defend them means we need to act on that promise.//Hopefully there's a way to solve this behind the scenes before war starts, but now we actually need to intervene, and this phrase will never again be uttered by myself in this context.

It'd be really cool if, in the event of civil war, the UN could come in and stabilize the situation. Then, a Swiss elections team could come in, administer a democratic election for a temporary government, and then everyone packs up and goes home. No disputing the results (democracy, and all that). No accusations of bias (Switzerland is a paragon of neutrality). And very little bloodshed.

This would never happen because there's simply too much at stake for Russia to lose the Crimea. Lose that, they lose their access to their warm water ports and navy.

/I have very little sympathy for the aggressor, and promising to defend them means we need to act on that promise.//Hopefully there's a way to solve this behind the scenes before war starts, but now we actually need to intervene, and this phrase will never again be uttered by myself in this context.

It'd be really cool if, in the event of civil war, the UN could come in and stabilize the situation. Then, a Swiss elections team could come in, administer a democratic election for a temporary government, and then everyone packs up and goes home. No disputing the results (democracy, and all that). No accusations of bias (Switzerland is a paragon of neutrality). And very little bloodshed.

BBC this morning said that the route to Simferopol airport was blocked by troops wearing no insignia and they wouldn't respond when asked who they "belonged" to. The Ukrainians are claiming it's Russian naval forces.